Muleriders fall short to Bulldogs

SAU Sports Information

WEATHERFORD, Okla. – An inauspicious start for the Southern Arkansas football team found themselves down 7-0 early in the first quarter, but SAU would take a lead into the fourth quarter before Southwestern Oklahoma notched 14-unanswered points to come-from-behind and beat SAU by a score of 27-24 on Saturday night at Fast Lane Field.

The tough start for SAU came on their first offensive drive of the game as, on the third play of that drive, an attempted screen pass was batted up and picked off by SWOSU’s Kale Sawatzky at the SAU 13-yardline. The Bulldogs (2-1, 2-1 GAC) would turn that great field position into points three plays later on a five-yard TD pass from Ryley Claborn to Brad Smithey.

On the ensuing kickoff however, SAU got a shot of life as Zikerious Ware returned the kick 57 yards, giving the Muleriders (1-2, 1-2 GAC) the ball at the SWOSU 27-yardline. A concerted rushing effort then took place as Si Blackshire, Deandre Jenkins, and Deion Williams all carried the ball before Blackshire punched it in from three-yards out to even the score at seven-all.

Following that game-tying score, the Mulerider defense clamped down and forced a quick three-and-out keeping momentum with SAU. The ensuing SWOSU punt would only go 27 yards giving the Muleriders the ball on their own 43-yardline. SAU would then go on a methodical drive 15-play drive that used up 6:41 of the clock, but the Muleriders were unable to put any points on the board as a 20-yard field goal attempt on fourth-and-3 from the SWOSU 4-yardline went wide left, keeping it a tie game, seven-all.

With 5:07 left in the second quarter, SAU took the lead, 10-7, as true freshman kicker Bradford Grems made good on a 23-yard field goal, capping a 10-play 33-yard drive that used up 3:33 of the clock. The made field goal for Grems was his first collegiate field goal.

SWOSU would possess the ball two more times in the second quarter, but the Muleriders’ defense proved stout as they allowed the Bulldogs to gain just 22 yards of offense. The biggest play by the Mulerider defense during that stretch was a 47-yard interception return to the SWOSU 28-yardline by DeMario Thomas. The pick gave SAU great field position and a chance to score with under 30 second before the half. The SWOSU defensive backs would stave off the threat however as three shots to the endzone fell incomplete, ending the half.

Early in the third quarter, the SAU offense struggled to move the ball as they were three-and-out on their first two drives. During that same stretch, SWOSU possessed the ball twice, but the Mulerider defense continued to play well forcing punts on each of those drives and allowing just 30 yards of total offense.

As the defensive struggle was in full swing, it was the Muleriders that would break the scoring lull on a 24-yard strike down the middle of the field from Blackshire to Jonathan Weisheit. The wide-open TD catch for Weisheit was the first in his career. Weisheit would also go on to catch seven passes for the second-straight game.

Following a good PAT, the lead was now 10 points in favor of SAU, 17-7, with 5:41 left in the third quarter.

SWOSU answered right back on their next drive, however on an eight-yard TD pass from Tim Morovick to Collin Bricker. The PAT would be no good as a high snap forced holder Brad Smithey to try and scramble for the conversion, but he was unsuccessful.

On SAU’s next drive, they would close out play in the third quarter and got the ball to the SWOSU 1-yardline before being turned away on downs with 14:21 left in the game. While the turnover on downs was tough, the Mulerider defense made up for it with a big play two plays later as Vincent Steward jumped a route and came away with a five-yard pick-six, extending the SAU lead now out to 11 points, 24-13.

The Mulerider defense continued its solid play on SWOSU’s next possession as the Bulldogs eventually turned the ball over on downs at the SAU 33-yardline with 10:52 left in the game.

Now with a chance to add to their lead even more, the SAU offense took the field. After picking up a first down and moving to their own 44-yardline, the Muleriders would suffer a costly turnover as the ball popped out of Paul Walker-Hall’s hands after an eight-yard reception had brought SAU inside SWOSU territory. The fumble recovery would go to SWOSU’s Steven Townsley and Townsley would return it all the way to the SAU 3-yardline. On the very next play, SWOSU punched it in to bring the game to within a score. A failed two-point conversion, however left the score 24-19 in favor of SAU with 8:51 remaining in the game.

A defensive stop by SWOSU on the ensuing SAU drive, coupled with a 20-yard punt by the Muleriders, set the Bulldogs up with great field position as they looked to take their first lead in the game since early in the first quarter.

Starting that drive inside Mulerider territory on the SAU 40-yardline, the Bulldogs used seven plays to cover those 40 yards as the scored the go-ahead touchdown on a one-yard plunge on fourth-and-goal by Matt Farris. A good two-point conversion followed, making now a three-point SWOSU lead, 27-24, with 3:52 left in the game.

SAU’s next drive would start at their own 29-yardline, but consecutive pass completions to Aaron

Johnson and Walker-Hall moved the ball quickly into SWOSU territory. A big third-down conversion got SAU to the SWOSU 33-yardline, but the drive would stall as the Muleriders were unable to get another first down, eventually turning the ball over on downs.

With just 1:33 left in the game, SAU had all three timeouts left and needed to come away with a huge defensive stop. With those three timeouts in hand, the Muleriders were able to force a three-and-out and use up only 26 second of game time in doing so.

A 49-yard punt by SWOSU’s Dalton Jackson forced the Muleriders to start their drive at their own 23-yardline. On the first play of that drive, however, SAU picked up a big chunk of yards as Blackshire and Weisheit connected for 21 yards, bringing the ball to the SAU 44-yardline. Following an incompletion, SAU picked up another big play in the air, but the play nullified on a holding penalty.

With time dwindling, the Muleriders would be able to make up the yardage on the penalty, but it left them 38 yards out and with just six second to try and score the game-winning TD. On the final play of the game, the ball went into the endzone where a host of Mulerider receivers and Bulldog defenders were at, but the ball would fall incomplete, giving SWOSU the win, 27-24.

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